1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for electro-optically sensing transmitting and rerecording picture patterns, as for example, in a facsimile system wherein the picture pattern is scanned in a step-by-step manner with a plurality of lines being simultaneously scanned with a multihead scanning device and wherein the output information from the scanning head is converted from parallel information into series information.
2. Description of the Prior Art
German Pat. published application No. 2,231,650 describes an arrangement relative to its FIG. 2 which illustrates a sensing device with several electro-optical converters arranged in a row which sense a scene which is to be observed in several parallel lines. Parallel sensing is used in this patent publication to combine the signals of adjacent channels so as to improve the modulation-transfer function transverse to the sensing direction. In military operations this will result in individual objects being better recognized at greater distances.
German published patent application No. 2,351,986 describes a circuit arrangement for a recording device including a discrete switch with a plurality of electro-optical converter elements which uses a special circuit for improving the picture information which is being sensed.
The magazine entitled "Electronik-Information", Volume 9 of Sept. 9, 1973 at pages 50-56 describes a "A Self-Sensing Photo-Diode Line" written by Heinz Friedberg. The individual diodes in this article are connected to a shift register which during the sensing process supplies a succession of picture signals at its output which have been sensed by the individual diodes in accordance with the picture dots one after the other. Such an arrangement is well suited for electro-optically sensing of patterns.
The following German published patent applications and art serve as background for the present invention:
DT-OS No. 2,231,650 PA1 DT-OS No. 2,351,986 PA1 DT-OS No. 2,219,442 PA1 DT-OS No. 1,903,964 PA1 DT-OS No. 2,354,520 PA1 DT-OS No. 1,762,090 PA1 DT-OS No. 1,908,834 PA1 DT-Auslegeschrift No. 2,034,350 PA1 U.S. Letters Patent No. 3,814,846 PA1 "Electronic Information", Sept. 9, 1973, 5th Volume, Pages 50-56